The One That Got Away

Another Saturday with unsettled weather. I wish God would schedule rainy days for Mondays, since they are usually a washout anyway. I had been planning to go to Rabun County, but with the threat of rain, I did not want to waste a lot of driving. As such, I decided to revisit one of my favorite Chattahoochee parks – East Palisades. There are four things in particular I like about this park:

1) The best distant view of the Chattahoochee that one can find.
2) The giant bamboo forest.
3) The chance to walk out into the middle of the Chattahoochee on rocks.
4) The excellent rock climbing opportunity at the North end.

On my first visit, I startled one of the Great Blue Herons that frequent this area as I approached the observation deck. I was hoping on this occasion to get a picture of one. Not long into the hike, as I was walking along a stream the feeds the Chattahoochee, I looked toward the stream, and discovered I was standing not 15 feet from a Heron. Sadly, before I could get my camera out and focused, the bird flew off. Maybe next time. I hope I never get a picture of one in my backyard eating my Koi.

When I got to the North end and started to climb the rocks, I worked up the courage to pass the point that stopped me before, a very narrow ledge right before a cave (drawing inspiration from my nephews C, age 11, and A, age 3, who would have run across without even a thought). I went quite a distance beyond that point, climbed to the top of the hill, and worked my way back along the ridge.

Just to be different, I finished by taking a steep connector trail up to Riverview Road, and followed and Northside Drive back to the parking lot via the main entrance. This was a very surreal experience, given all of the amazing houses, each one larger and a quarter of a Million dollars more than the last.

As I looked at each house, I did not find myself at all envious of the people who live in them. That sort of wealth has too many strings attached. As Luke 12:34 says:

34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I can honestly say that my heart is in serving my Savior, and loving my family. How could I possibly be wealthier?